. The latter, if anything. For I do know he's been buying
certain stocks--awfully heavy."

"Playing the stock market, eh----?"

"I don't think I should have told you that. But I know you won't say
anything about it. Oh, I do hope he hasn't had any real misfortune----"

Our talk veered to other subjects, and for a while we stood and watched
the twilight descending over the lagoon. The crags were never so
mysterious. They seemed to take weird shapes in the half-light, and the
water sucked and lapped about their stony feet.

In a little while her hand stole into mine. It rested softly, and
neither of us felt the need of words. The twilight deepened into that
pale darkness of the early Floridan night.

"How I'd like to help him, if he's in trouble," she said at last, almost
whispering. "And how I'd like to help you--do all the things you want to
do."

"I'm glad--that you care about it," I told her, not daring to look down
into that sober, wistful face.

"I _do_ care about it," she declared. She bent, until her lips were
close to my ear. "And I believe I see the way."

CHAPTER XIV

Nealman did not come down to dinner. He sent his apologies to the
guests, pleading a headache, and through some mayhap of circumstance the
coroner took his place at the head of the great, red-mahogany table.
There was a grim symbolism in the thing. No one mentioned it, not one of
those aristocratic sportsmen were calloused enough to jest about it, but
we all felt it in the secret places of our souls.

The session at Kastle Krags was no longer one of revelry. I could fancy
the wit, the repartee, the gaiety and laughter that had reigned over the
board the evening previous; but Nealman's guests were a sober group
to-night. At the unspoken dictates of good taste no man talked of last
night's tragedy. Rather the men talked quietly to one another or else
sat in silence. A burly negro, rigged out in a dinner coat of ancient
vintage, helped with the serving in Florey's place.

After dinner I halted the sheriff in the hall, and we had a single
moment of conversation. "Slatterly," I said, "I want you to give me some
authority."

"You do, eh?" He paused, studying my face. "What do you want to do?"

"I want your permission--to go about this house and grounds where and
when I want to--and no complications in case I am caught at it. Maybe
even go into some of the private rooms and effects of the guests. I want
to follow up some ideas tha